It was learned Monday that the Buccaneers would be moving on from veteran guard Shaq Mason in the immediate future, via either a trade or release. The former route will be taken; Tampa is trading Mason to the Texans, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport tweets that the deal will see Houston and Tampa Bay swap sixth- and seventh-round picks. By moving on from Mason, the Buccaneers will see $5.3M in cap savings while incurring a dead money charge of $4.3M. The Texans, meanwhile, will acquire a consistent performer at right guard who has one year remaining on his current contract.
Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports (via Twitter) that Mason is likely to be extended upon his arrival with the Texans. That would come as little surprise, as the 29-year-old is set to carry a cap hit of just over $9.5M in 2023. A new contract aimed at lowering that figure would help the team’s cap situation and secure his future there over the course of multiple years.
Mason logged 98 starts during his seven-year stint with the Patriots to begin his career. He was traded to Tampa Bay last offseason and started every game as part of the Buccaneers’ revamped interior O-line. His 1,200 snaps were a welcomed sight considering the multitude of injuries the team had to deal with over the course of the season. Mason was charged with 25 pressures allowed by PFF, however, which resulted in an overall grade of 68.9, the second-lowest of his career.
Houston used a first-round pick on Kenyon Green last April, and he served as left guard. Presuming Mason is extended on a new multi-year deal, that pair will serve as the Texans guard tandem for at least the intermediate future. With center Scott Quessenberry having just been re-signed, the interior of Houston’s offensive line is firmly in place.
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